Newport mayor asks for equipment’s return

Newport Mary Hetrick asked a borough councilman last week to turn over “at once” equipment belonging to the police department.

During the Jan. 18 meeting, Hetrick, who recently completed her first year, delivered a fiery three-minute speech, in which she decided to let council “know who the mayor is.”

The equipment in question is software for a GPS unit in a borough police cruiser. The software, installed on councilman Tom Fitzpatrick’s home computer, allows users to monitor the location of a vehicle.

Hetrick said once the property was turned over, she’d take it to the Perry County 911 center in New Bloomfield.

Fitzpatrick did not respond publicly to the request. He is chair of council’s police committee, which Hetrick said “is not in charge” of the police department.

In her speech, Hetrick said she could see and feel her mayoral powers being taken away by council. After seeking advice from legal counsel and other mayors, she said she wanted to “take the bull by the horns.”

She told council, “I have to answer for everything ... but I’m in charge of the equipment and cruisers. It’s my call.”

Hetrick said issues have been “going on long enough” and that it was “time to bury the hatchet. Let’s just do our jobs to represent Newport in a professional manner.”

If issues are not resolved, Hetrick said she would have only one choice: “I’m going to have to take legal action.”

After an hour-long executive session to discuss “legal, personnel and contractual matters” that forced 17 spectators to wait outside in 30-degree weather, council president Jason Ehrhart read a prepared statement addressing Hetrick’s speech.

The statement said council disagreed with the mayor’s position, but would not enter into a public debate. Council said it would be willing to sit down with Hetrick and address issues.

“We hope litigation is not necessary,” Ehrhart read from the statement.

Council members Doug Beatty and Carl Shuey were absent from the meeting.

Perry County District Attorney Charles Chenot III was at the meeting and supported Behne. Regarding the decision to remove Behne from the task force, Chenot said, “That was your prerogative ... but I hope we can resolve any issues and have him again be part of the task force.”

Behne and Hetrick received support from Steve Flickinger, Citizen’s Fire Company chief, who agreed with Hetrick on who oversees the police department. Calling Behne an “important asset” to Newport, Flickinger said, “I don’t believe he should have been suspended.”